“Acting is not being emotional, but being able to express emotion.”
Thomas Reid 1710-1769, Scottish Philosopher.

A Tribute to
BARBARA BEL GEDDES



Her Best Films

- 5 BRANDED WOMEN (1960) D: MARTIN RITT. With VAN HEFLIN, SILVANA MANGANO, JEANNE MOREAU, VERA MILES and STEVE FORREST. Overambitious production, badly miscast, set in WW2 Middle Europe. 5 girls scorned by partisans for consorting with Nazis prove their patriotism.



- VERTIGO (1958) D: ALFRED HITCHCOCK. With JAMES STEWART, KIM NOVAK, TOM HELMORE, HENRY JONES and ELLEN CORBY. One of Hitchcock´s most discussed films. Retired police detective Stewart, who has a fear of heights, is hired by old school chum in San Francisco to keep an eye on his wife (Novak), eventually falls in love with his quarry...and that´s just the beginning. Haunting, dream-like thriller, with riveting Bernard Herrmann score to match; a genuinely great motion picture that demands multiple viewings.


Awards: Oscar nominations for Best Art Direction and Best Sound. Directors´ Guide of America nominations for Outstanding Achievement in Motion Pictures. Concha de Plata for A. Hitchcock and Premio Zulueta for J. Stewart (tie) at the San Sebastián Film Festival.

- 14 HOURS (1951) D: HENRY HATHAWAY. With PAUL DOUGLAS, RICHARD BASEHART, DEBRA PAGET. Well-done suspenser of man threatening to throw himself off ledge. Grace Kelly´s film debut.


Awards: Oscar nominations for Best BW Art Direction-Set Decoration. National Board of Review Award for R. Basehart. BAFTA nomination for Best Film. Golden Lion nomination for H. Hathaway at the Venice Film Festival. Writers Guild of America nomination for Best Written American Drama (John Paxton).

- PANIC IN THE STREETS (1950) D: ELIA KAZAN. With RICHARD WIDMARK, PAUL DOUGLAS, JACK PALANCE and ZERO MOSTEL. Taut drama involving gun-happy gangsters, one of whom is a carrier of a disease, and the manhunt to finf him. Makes fine use of New Orleans locale; Edward and Edna Anhalt won an Oscar for their story.
Awards: Oscar for Best Writing, Motion Picture Story. International Award and a Golden Lion nomination for E. Kazan at the Venice Film Festival. WGA nominations for Best Written American Drama and Robert Meltzer Award (both for Richard Murphy).

- CAUGHT (1949) D: MAX OPHULS. With JAMES MASON, ROBERT RYAN, FRANK FERGUSON, CURT BOIS and NATALIE SCHAFER. Compelling, intelligent story of young girl who marries powerful millionaire, tries to escape her shallow existence with him. Fine performances, skilled direction by Ophuls.


- BLOOD ON THE MOON (1948) D: ROBERT WISE. With ROBERT MITCHUM, ROBERT PRESTON and WALTER BRENNAN. Tough Western with rivals Mitchum and Preston becoming bitter enemies because of scheme to undo ranchers Bel Geddes-Brennan.



- I REMEMBER MAMA (1948) D: GEORGE STEVENS. With IRENE DUNNE, OSCAR HOMOLKA, PHILIP DORN and ELLEN CORBY. Grade-A sentimental drama with Dunne as Mama raising her Norwegian family in San Francisco; not for the hardboiled, a delight for others. From John Van Druten´s play; later a TV series.



Awards: Oscar Nominations for BBG and E. Corby as Best Supporting Actress, for I. Dunne as Best Leading Actress, for O. Homolka as Best Supporting Actor, and for Best BW Cinematography. Golden Globe Award for E. Corby as Best Supporting Actress. WGA nominations for Best Written American Comedy and Drama, and Robert Meltzer Award (all for DeWitt Bodeen).

- THE LONG NIGHT (1947) D: ANATOLE LITVAK. With HENRY FONDA, VINCENT PRICE, ANN DVORAK and QUEENIE SMITH. Plodding drama of killer hiding out overnight with girl who tries to get him to confess; pretty tired drama. Remake of Jean Gabin film LE JOUR SE LÈVE.



All the movie reviews have been excerpted from LEONARD MALTIN´S TV MOVIES published by New American Library.

Television:

Her 10 Best DALLAS Episodes:

- 28: JOHN EWING III (I)
- 38-9: MASTECTOMY
- 41: ELLIE SAVES THE DAY
- 74: EWING VS. EWING
- 88: WATERLOO AT SOUTHFORK
- 102: ACCEPTANCE
- 118: THE RECKONING
- 148: EYE OF THE BEHOLDER
- 192: THE FAMILY EWING

Selection by Pam´s Twin Sister

Awards:

Emmy for Best Actress in a Drama Series (Season 2), and 2 other nominations for Seasons 1 and 3. Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Drama (for Season 3 – tie) and 2 other nominations (for Seasons 1 and 2). Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Actress in a Mature Role in a Prime Time Soap Opera (for S. 6) and 2 other nominations for Outstanding Actress in a Supporting Role on a P.T. Serial (for S. 8 and 10).

- ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS (1958): LAMB TO THE SLAUGHTER (# 3.28). Awards: Emmy nominations for Best Direction (A. Hitchcock) and Writing (Roald Dahl) in an episode of a Drama Series, and for Best Dramatic Series (less than one hour).



BARBARA BEL GEDDES was also selected as Woman of the Year in 1952 by the Hasty Pudding Theatricals. The Hasty Pudding Theatricals, known informally simply as The Pudding, is a theatrical student society at Harvard University, known for its burlesque musicals. They present amateur theatricals with near-professional production values. Among the awarded, are such artists as Katharine Hepburn, Joanne Woodward, Jane Fonda, Liza Minnelli, Elizabeth Taylor, Meryl Streep, Julie Andrews, Cher, Glenn Close, Jodie Foster, Susan Sarandon and Sigourney Weaver.
(Source: Nationmaster.com)
Barbara on stage performing CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF and MARY, MARY


The Best Quotes of MISS ELLIE

“Junior, you were born old!” (to JR)
"You're a Ewing now you got to start acting like one! Bobby's your problem ....Handle it!!!" (to PAM)
"I had to take a horse whip to Jock before he do right by me!" (to PAM)
"Get me the shotgun out of the hall closet, Ray! Now, Mister Jackson, if I don't see your tail moving off my land, and fast, I'm gonna blow it off. Now get out....!"
"Nobody´s taking over. Not while I'm alive!"
"Most of the time, you weren't even discreet about it! You've neglected that girl since the day you brought her home..." (to JR)
"I may never forgive you for this, J.R."
"You chew people up and spit them out, you both sicken me!" (to JOCK and JR)
"JR, today I saw aside of you that I didn´t like. In the past I've turned my head to your're tricks but no more. While you're daddy's away I'm going to have keep in eye on you!"
"We may be right, we may be wrong, but we're Ewings. We stick together, that's what makes us unbeatable."
"Hes alive Bobby, he's alive..."
“Permission to ruin the reputation of the finest man all for the sell of some cheap book! How dare you!!” (to DONNA)
"Oh, Jock, damn you. Damn you!!! Why did you leave me? Why?!!! Oh, Jock, why did you die?"
"I know that Jock's not coming back, but I have my memories of him, and my memories are forever."
“You're a cold and insensitive man, JR, and I'm gonna remove you as president of Ewing Oil as soon as Bobby gets back!”
"Alright Rebecca I've tried to reason with you but no more if its a fight you want just remember others have tried to come up against the Ewings and failed!"
"I want this fighting stopped! Do you hear me? Or both of you get the hell out of this house and off this ranch!"
"Well! You destroyed her again!" (to JR)
"Oh Sue Ellen , but you are an Alcoholic!"
"As far as I'm concerned Ewing Oil should have died when you daddy did!"
"The Ewing men are tough so the Ewing women have to be even tougher!
“I wont stand by and watch you abuse this girl, I saw enough of that with Sue Ellen. You do right by her, or divorce her...it´s gone on long enough!!"
“Great men are measured in the only true value of a man, not in money or power, but in friends.”

Soon, Highlight Gallery of Barbara in DALLAS.



These were the last words that Barbara said to us and to her DALLAS co-stars in the REUNION´04:

"Dear Friends, My dearest wishes on this memorable occasion. I shall always treasure the time we shared and the fun we had together. With love to you all, Barbara Bel Geddes."





SOON, TRIBUTES TO JIM DAVIS AND HOWARD KEEL

TONI DÍAZ for DALLAS UNIVERSE and MUNDO DALLAS

INDEX